


Arms Outstretched

by BardsandNoble



Series: Rane Week [3]
Category: Dalton Academy Series
Genre: Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M, dalton big bang 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 19:11:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15177425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardsandNoble/pseuds/BardsandNoble
Summary: Day 3 - Rane: Ice Skatingyeah the title is like, barely a TAZ reference





	Arms Outstretched

Reed stared nervously at the ice spread before the Rockefeller Center occupied by cheerful tourist couples and unsteady families with children, all enjoying the festive feeling of the seasonal rink. In all his years in Manhattan, any reasonable person who knew Reed would know better than to take him anywhere within a mile of any ice, but Shane is not known for his skill with reason. He looks up from tying Reed’s laces, grinning. “Ready?”

“Nothing could possibly prepare me for this, but since you insist…” He was helped to his feet by Shane, who kept an arm out for support but let Reed experiment with balancing on the dry floor. He attempted one wobbly step toward the rink before tripping into Shane’s arms. “See, I’m not even on the ice yet! You’re officially insane,” he said, laughing at the absurdity of what he was about to do.

Shane’s grin never faltered as he half-guided, half-carried, Reed to the edge of the ice. “Don’t you see, gorgeous? You’ll have me as a safety net every moment. Even if we stay glued to the wall or if I have to scoop you up in my arms the entire time, this will be absolutely fantastic. Do you trust me? Do you believe me?”

Reed, with a death grip on Shane’s arms, rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Yes, of course, Shane. I guess…let’s just go for it.”

Shane stepped onto the ice first, making sure he had his balance. He then turned to Reed and offered both hands to him. Reed tentatively placed one foot on the ice, grabbing Shane’s hands, before stepping the other up to meet it.

“Okay?” Shane checked.

Reed let out a breath he had been holding. “So far, so good, but next comes the hard part.”

“Don’t worry, just hang on to me for a while. Don’t even worry about moving yet. I’ll keep holding your hands like this, and I can just pull you along for a bit so you can get used to the feeling.”

“That sounds manageable,” Reed nodded. “You have no problem skating backwards, then? I know you’ve done this before, but hasn’t it been a while?”

Shane laughed and squeezed Reed’s hands. “This is true, but when have I ever _not_ rushed into things right away?” With an exuberant grin and a wink at his boyfriend, Shane decided to push off -

-and fell. In that instant when his feet slipped out behind him, he released Reed’s hands to avoid taking him down with him, but Reed immediately reached forward again to grab Shane’s flailing arms.

And by some miracle, with all the strength and balance he could manage, little _Reed_ was standing there, keeping _Shane_ suspended off the ice, mid-fall.

Shane looked up at Reed, their eyes level in that precarious moment, in complete and total shock for just a beat before they broke into hysterical giggling. Shane quickly but carefully returned to his feet when Reed’s legs became unsteady again, and he guided them to lean against the wall, pulling Reed closer to him for good measure.

“So, I guess I’ve paid you back now for exactly _one_ of the million times you’ve caught me,” Reed got out between a few residual giggles.

“I can’t believe it. I really can’t.” Shane’s voice was muffled where he had his face pressed into the warmth of Reed’s curls. “What I also can’t believe is that no one will _ever_ believe that actually just happened.”

“That’s true, but we’ll always know.” Reed adjusted Shane’s coat as best as he could with Shane’s steadying arms around his waist, still beaming about somehow catching another person on ice. “Ready to try that again? I think you should still pull me since good balance doesn’t ever strike twice with me. But _carefully_ this time, Shane Henry.”

“Yes, yes, I know.” Shane returned the favor by adjusting Reed’s scarf to shield some of his face from the chill. He took his hands again to lead him back out to the ice, and they stayed just for a few laps with no more surprises. Reed, of course, stumbled forward toward Shane a number of times but always had open arms waiting to catch him.


End file.
